Tag Archives: spaghetti

Oh to those Back to school mixed feelings! Speaking my mind, i don’t know who is being more anxious; me or my kids! I guess i am more nervous. Thinking of them how they will face school related issues (as new teachers, meeting new friends or missing old ones, fitting in, being away from me…..) sparks a upswing in inquietude for me. But thank God seeing them coping easily every year and being happy kids vanish all these exaggerated (only in my head) feelings of unease! Welcome to moms world!

Today after dropping off my 4 year old boy, i head directly to my kitchen to do what i mostly like to do. I wanted to keep my mind busy and stop it from creating scenarios until i pick him up. (Please read the message at the end of the post)

Joud loves spaghetti, shrimps and prefers red sauce than white. So let’s go for this veggie spaghetti with shrimps in red sauce!

When i saw this type of wholesome spaghetti, felt like i found a hidden gem. Made of 25% puree from real zucchini and spinach!

Cook as per pack instructions, drain and leave aside.

Cook 500g of shrimps, peel, devein and keep aside to prepare this easy and delicious sauce:

1 medium onion finely diced

1 garlic clove minced

1 tbs celery chopped

2 cups of tomato puree

2 tbsp olive oil

a handful black or green olive pitted

salt to taste

Cook onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil until fragrant and translucent

Add tomato puree and cook all together until it starts boiling then add the olive and shrimps to cook all together for 5 minutes.

Can’t wait to have my happy soul back to see if he will like this dish!

There was a message circulating that says:

Special request to all you kids returning to school; if you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because he/she doesn’t have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most “in” cloths, PLEASE step up, say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside school. Your kindness might just make a big difference in someone’s life!

PLEASE do ❤

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It’s a one great pesto recipe to whet your appetite. I love to see heaping dishes getting relished, one of the best days when i cook to my family and leave them with a big smile and clean plates. It means it was a memorable meal!

A Spaghetti dish with chicken and especially pesto that comes to boost the flavor quotient and intensify the pleasure. You will need to prepare it: (yields 4 servings)

For the pasta:

1 pack of spaghetti

1 cup pesto sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup garlic oil

salt to taste

For the chicken:

4 big chicken breasts cut lengthwise

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp garlic oil

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp pesto sauce

roasted pine nuts for garnish (1/2 cup almost)

parmesan or emmental cheese for garnish (1 cup almost)

Boil spaghetti as per pack instructions and sauteed it with olive oil, garlic oil and pesto.

Marinate the chicken with the olive oil, garlic oil and garlic powder and cook them until nicely golden. Add the pesto sauce and combine well.

Put a generous bed of pasta, top it with chicken (as per your taste), garnish with pine nuts and cheese.

Serve it warm and enjoy the symphony of flavors. Who is counting calories? i personally don’t, i am just counting memories! Enjoy your precious time with your family and make the best out of it.

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Sometimes it is hard to find the right words to describe how tasty was a dish. In this case and particularly when talking about spaghetti marinara, one of my favorite dishes, all i can say it’s a kind of food where you like to close your eyes and create a mental image while you relish the deep flavors. It’s the dish that shouts “eat me”!

I am a pasta girl, i love all types of pastas and encourage the creativity for the sauces. A classic recipe is never enough for me, i always add my personal input and it comes most of the times bulls eye! This spaghetti marinara is not a conventional one, it has marmite et ponpon touch.

400g ground beef

1 big onion finely diced

6-8 garlic cloves sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp chili oil

500 ml tomato puree

1 tsp sugar

a handful celery coarsely chopped

a handful leek coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot shaved

1/2 cup white wine

salt to taste

parmesan or emmental cheese grated for garnish

Cook onion and garlic with olive oil and chili oil until fragrant. Add the beef and cook until it is browned. Pour the tomato puree, wine and sugar and cook for 10 minutes. Add celery, leek and carrots and simmer on a very low heat for an hour, until 3/4 of the liquid has evaporated.

It’s a nice technique to do the ragout, it enhances the flavors and gives it a deep and sharp taste. Anyways “ragout” means reviving the taste, can’t be better explained!

Meantime cook pasta as per pack instructions, ladle with the sauce and sprinkle with parmesan/emmental cheese and savor this must do version of marinara.

It’s not just a pleasure to the palate but to the eyes too. The colors were inviting me to practice my photography skills and the smell was telling me to hurry up and dig in!

If you like this post give it many likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

Beside preparing a delicious dish, it’s also important to be an easy and quick one to keep your mini chef focused and entertained.

I believe the majority of kids are fan of spaghetti. It’s one of my son’s few favorite dishes because peppa pig loves it! Today’s recipe will not take more than 10 minutes the time of boiling the pasta.

To make this yummy dish you need: (for 2)

150g spaghetti

1 1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter

1/2 cup emmental cheese

dash of salt (optional)

Cook the spaghetti as per the pack instructions. Meanwhile, in a casserole mixmilk and flour until it’s well combined then bring to heat.

Keep on whisking until you see the first bubbles (2-3 minutes) add the butter and cheese(optional) and mix all well (less than a minute). Turn off the heat as the cheese is totally melt in and the sauce became thick. Toss in the drained pasta and let your kid enjoy the rewards of his efforts.

If you put emmental, disregard the salt, but if your kid is not fan of cheese, add a dash of salt to flavor it.

As i mention in every “mini chef in the kitchen” post, this activity provides your kids with plenty of opportunities to learn.Click on benefits of cooking with your kids to know more about it.

I hope you have a good time with your kids. Enjoy 🙂

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow ontwitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

“Fricassée” is a method of cooking, when the chicken is sautéed in butter and oil then simmered. It’s an old fashion dish in france and with many variations. It’s a true classic french comfort food. Usually presented with french baguette bread, rice or mashed potatoes. My mum’s recipe is served with spaghetti. When i first made it, my husband fell in love with it. Whenever he craves it he asks me: when are you going to do “your chicken pasta with the yummy sauce”?

For 6 persons recipe you need:

12 pieces of chicken (thighs, drumsticks and breasts)

750g spaghetti

3 1/2 tbsp butter devided

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium carrots diced

1 big onion finely chopped

125g mushroom sliced

1 tbsp nutmeg

1tbsp pepper

1 1/2 tbsp salt

3 tbsp flour

4 cups water

Season chicken on both sides with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Preheat a large pot and add the vegetable oil and 1 tbsp butter. Fry the chicken until golden brown on both sides, and transfer to a plate. Don’t over crowd the pot, fry the chicken in several batches.

Wipe the pot with a paper towel and add 1 tbsp butter to sautee the onion, carrots and mushroom for 3-4 minutes over medium heat and transfer to a plate.

Again add to the pot the final 1 1/2 tbsp of butter with 3 tbsp of flour and stir until combined and golden, add the water slowly and keep stirring until liquid just thickens (one minute) as if you are doing a roux. if you like silky sauce, you can replace one of the water cups with 1 cup cream. Return the vegetables and chicken to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

If you are fan of rice or potatoes, just replace the spaghetti. This dish pairs perfectly with all. Personally i love it like mum used to serve it with spaghetti!

I loved this dish as a child and still consider it one of the most delicious meals my mum used to prepare. Try it, and am sure it will be a staple dish on your menu. Enjoy!!

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